By Weswa Ronnie
NAMISINDWA
The Office of the Inspectorate of Government Tororo sub region has asked the Chief Administrative Officer of Namisindwa district to take immediate action on the staff of Bunambale health center III for chronic absenteeism.
Office of the Inspectorate of Government Tororo covers the six districts of Tororo, Busia, Manafwa, Namisindwa, Bududa and Sironko.
On Wednesday, 28th February, 2024, the IGG carried out prompt inspections at about 3:00PM at Bunambale health center III located at Tsekululu sub county in Namisindwa district.
However, the IGG found the facility open but with no single health worker to attend to patients who were loitering around the facility.
While speaking to sub county chiefs and district leaders, the following day, Thursday, 29th February, 2024, during an engagement meeting at Namisindwa district head office, Dinah Nabirye, the head of IGG Tororo region also doubling as a supervisor instructed the CAO to take serious action against those staff who were supposed to be on duty at that time.
She argued that any public servant who is absent on duty during working hours is termed as corrupt because government pays him/her full-time to be on duty.
Nabirye says that those staff must be punished such that others can take it as an example.
Jackson Wakwaika, the LC5 chairperson of Namisindwa district blamed the area LC3 chairperson and other political leaders for failing to do their supervisory role as empowered by the Local Government Act and waited for the intervention of the IGG.
He says that based on what he heard from the community, those staff have had that tendency of not wanting to work meaning this time, the office of the CAO must have something to do against them.
Aramazan Wabuko, the Namisindwa resident NRM chairperson says that such kind of staff who don’t want to work are spoiling the name of government.
He urged the district through CAO to give them a serious punishment such that others can take it as an example.
Geoffrey Timpiti, the Namisindwa district chief administrative officer promised IGG officers for quick intervention.
He said that last year during health monitoring, they visited
Kitongo health center II located at Bukhaweka town council and registered related problems but they transferred all staff who were supposed to be on duty that time as a punishment.
Stephen Masayi Wasukila, the Namisindwa acting health officer distanced himself from such errant workers saying the law must take its course.
He says that on several occasions he has been cautioning health workers on absenteeism but some haven’t taken his warning seriously.
